Title: CTE Teacher
Company: Texas School for the Deaf
Location: Uhland, Texas, United States
Richard LeRoy Layton, CTE Teacher at Texas School for the Deaf, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Career and Technical Education.
Mr. Layton’s professional journey is distinguished by his commitment to education, particularly for deaf students. Since 2015, he has served as a career and technical education (CTE) teacher at Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, where he has elevated the quality of CTE programs and taught industry-standard code welding to high school students. As part of his curriculum, Mr. Layton teaches Introduction to Welding, Welding I & II.
Since becoming a faculty member on campus, Mr. Layton’s most significant achievement was the design, delivery and implementation of a pioneering welding program tailored specifically for deaf students. This initiative stands as the only program of its kind at a deaf institution in North and South America, with a deaf welder or deaf welding teacher instructing at the high school level. Mr. Layton’s innovative approach required adapting traditional teaching methods to meet the unique needs of his students, ensuring they received comprehensive training aligned with industry standards.
In addition to his primary role, Mr. Layton has contributed to higher education as an adjunct professor at Austin Community College since 2022. In this capacity, he draws on his expertise in welding and business practices and extensive background in agriculture technology management to teach the next generation.
Before these appointments, Mr. Layton was an agriculture teacher at the Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind in Tucson from 2011 to 2013. There, he launched a program designed to provide deaf students with opportunities that had previously been unavailable to them. These efforts laid the groundwork for future advancements in specialized education.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Layton worked as a measurement and control technician at Southwest Gas Corporation in Tucson, a natural gas company that serves more than two million customers across Arizona, California and Nevada. Employed by the organization for more than a decade, between 1993 and 2005, this role provided Mr. Layton with valuable experience in technical operations and reinforced his practical knowledge of industry standards.
Mr. Layton’s educational background has been instrumental in shaping his career trajectory. He completed an Associate of Arts in general studies from Pima Community College in 2008, followed by a Bachelor of Science in agriculture technology management and education from the University of Arizona in 2011, where he was named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence. Returning to college years later, Mr. Layton earned an Associate of Applied Science in code welding from Austin Community College in 2020 after completing a rigorous dual-credit program while simultaneously teaching during the day and attending classes at night.
In addition to his formal education, Mr. Layton’s credentials include certification as a diesel mechanic, certification in agriculture, food and natural resources from the Texas Education Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration-10 certification from CareerSafe, LLC, and designation as a certified Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point auditor through the University of Arizona. These qualifications have enabled him to teach business courses and provide instruction across multiple disciplines.
Mr. Layton’s expertise is recognized through his active memberships in the American Welding Society and the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. His affiliations with these professional organizations reflect his ongoing engagement with professional communities dedicated to excellence in welding and construction.
Crediting his early influences growing up in Seattle, Washington, within a family-owned meat market located in Ellensburg, Washington, Mr. Layton developed foundational knowledge of food production and business operations. This upbringing instilled a strong work ethic and inspired his later pursuits across diverse fields. Looking ahead, Mr. Layton aims to identify a successor who can continue providing transformative educational opportunities for students at Texas School for the Deaf while focusing on promoting good nutrition through expanded culinary efforts following retirement. His legacy is defined by his dedication to inclusive education, hands-on expertise across multiple trades, and unwavering commitment to empowering future generations through innovative programming and mentorship.
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